Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-06-15
MEMORIAL DAY.
IT'S LEssoN-A STRIKING CONTRAST.

IT'S LEssoN-A STRIKING CONTRAST.
T he STAR-SPANeLED BANNER AND THE
ssBLoopY-sHIRT"-THE PAST AND
THE FUTURE.
The observance on the 9th inst, OF the
annual memorial services in honor OF the
soldiers who sleep in the ''biveuack OF the
dead" was not only remarkable for the
great numbers who were present, and the
success of every feature of it, for which
great credit is due to all whe participated
in efforts to make it such, but also for the
fact that it demonstrated in a most con-
elusive manner that our people cannot only
fraternize with, but cherish esteem and
enter tain admiration for, the most promi-
nent and efficient officers and men who
made vigorous, but fair, war upon their
soldiers, whilst they were manly and SOL
dierly enough not to make war upon de-
fenceless civilians, but acted the part of
true soldiers in holding the homes of wives
and children sacred from intrusion and
outrage, as was shown by the cordial man
ner in which ten thousand of our people,
male and female, greeted the presence on
that occasion of General W. W. Averill, Of
New York. 1t shows how very easy it
would be, if the people of the North gener-
ally would exhibit similar feeling of
friendship for the people Of the South, to
make the Union in the future thousand
times stronger than it has even been in the
past, as it would then be cemented by
mutual esteem and affection, and be united
in bonds stronger than "hooks of steel"
1t would seem that the North, which
was the stronger and the conquering power,
should have been the first to exhibit mag
nanimity, and to inaugurate demonstrations
of fraternal feeling, and to counsel and
practice oblivion Of past animosties, and to
cherish and nourish feelings of national and
fraternal friendship. But the South, though
the weaker and the conquered and humili-
ated party,-though overrun and trampled
upon during the war, and treated worse
for several years after, has gained proud
er moral victory than the North, in that ii
is the first to conquer feelings of personal
and sectional animosity and to extend the
hand offriendship and cordial union "across
the bloody chasm." In the South, the
ensanguined neither garment, yclept "the
bloody Shirt" is not known. 1t is never
waved in the southern breeze. Its home
is in the North, where it is still waved alof
by politicians chiefly who never smelt gun
powder during the war,-who belong to
that valiant class who are ''invisible in war:
and invincible in peace"-of whom John
Sherman, Republican candidate for the
Presidency, is conspicuous example.
Whilst our people are, by thousands
greeting with cordial friendship distin
guished Federal General who gave us much
trouble during the war; and whilst they are
cultivating fraternal and national feelings
John Sherman is making speeches in thu
West, to advance his candidacy for th'
Presidency, in which he vigorously waves
the "bloody- shirt" and strives to revive
the feelings of animosity which existed
during the war, and to make the people o
that section believe that the citizens of thu
South are the enemies of the Countrywide
they are rebels and traitors and deserve tt
be prescribed and denied their just sbart
in the management of the government
He is either very blind to the sentiment
that exists there, or else the people there
are far behind the South in national senti
ments and fraternal feeling. He mus
either be very unwise, or else the people
there are very sectional in their sentiment!
aud very hostile in their feelings. The con
trast presented is very striking, and th'
South occupies the vantage ground. a;
we said before, the moral victory-greatel
than that of arms-is with the South. Sh'
waves the Star-Spangled Banner, willis
the Republicans of the North wave the
ssbloody. Shirt We have an abiding faith
that the Star-Spangled Banner will triumph
over the s'bloody- shirt" and that all will
yet be well, and that we will live in peace
and harmony as brethren Of a common
country; and that, in the patriotic and clio
quent language of Major Baker P. Lee, il
his Memorial address at Norfolk, May 10Th
1887, ''as one people with one country, W
will look backward with a common pride
in contemplation of the valor of both sec
tions. As one people with one country
we will look forward with a common pur
pose in common patriotism, for the pro
motion of the interests, for the maintenance
of the honor, for the expansion of the
power, for the support Of the dignity of GU
government, without remembering, eithel
on the one side or the other, that there wal
ever war between US. We have grea
people, a great country, and great Gov
eminent, with glorious past and, let III
hope, with still more glorious future. >
So may it be, is our most devout wish.
DEATH OF DIR. W. W. BENNETT